A high drama in Nagpur was witnessed as former Maharashtra Minister Nitin Raut reached the Nagpur Collectorate to file papers for Ramtek Lok Sabha after a message from party higher ups and waited for a proper communication from Pradesh Congress Committee president Ashok Chavan for sending AB form and a letter and a disappointment was in store for him. Chavan’s mobile was switched off and and no contact could be established with him and due to lack of communication, a disappointed Raut left the Returning Office with his close aide lone Congress MLA Sunil Kedar from Saoner.
Finally official sources confirmed that Raut did not file any papers. Efforts to communicate with Raut and Kedar failed. Raut and other Congress leaders were unhappy over Gajbhiye’s nomination and argued that Gajbhiye had fought Graduate Constituency on BSP and also North Nagpur Assembly Constituency and lost both.He had recently joined Congress and was given ticket which sent resentment among the Congress cadre.
Meanwhile BJP stalwart and sitting MP from Nagpur, Nitin Gadkari, who is Union Minister for Transport, Sipping and Ganga Rejuvenation, his Ministerial colleague, Hansraj Ahir, MoS for Home, Shiv Sena sitting MP Krupal Tumane, Congress nominee from Nagpur, former MP Nana Patole, former IAS Officer Kishore Gajbhiyet filed paper from Reserved Ramtek Constituency.
Manikrao Thakre of Congress (Yavatmal), Navneet Rana (Amravati), also filed paper in respective Constituencies. Accompanied by a huge number of party workers and led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis, Dr Ramesh Sawant (Sena), former MPs Datta Meghe, former Minister Sulekha Kumbhare, all the City Legislators, Sudhakar Kohle, Sudhakar Deshmukh, Dr Milind Mane, Vikas Kumbhare, Krishna Khopde besides Anil Sole, Mayor Nanda Jichkar and
others were present on the occasion.
Earlier family members of Gadkari including his wife Kanchan Gadkari and others performed rituals as Fadanvis and State Energy Minister, Chandrashekhar Bawankule were present at Gadkari’s residence. In his brief address to the party workers, Gadkari expressed his confidence that he would win by a big margin this time due to the huge confidence imposed on him by the party workers.
Fadnavis said Gadkari’s victory of foregone conclusion as his developmental activities and vision for second capital will help him. Patole and other Congress leaders later left for Devadia Congress Bhawan, the office of Nagpur City and District Congress Committee for holding meeting.
Earlier Patole and Gajbhiye reached the Collectorate in a procession and were accompanied by former MP Vilas Muttemwar, former Minister Anil Deshmukh, City Congress president Vikas Thakre, office bearers Abhijit Wanjari, Umakant Agnihotri and others. Meanwhile in Chandrapur, Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir of BJP, Congress nominee, Baba Dhanorkar and Vinayak Bangde filed nominations.
Siting BJP MP Ramdas Tadas and his Congress rival, Charulata Rau Tokas also filed paper from Wardha Lok Sabha Constituency. Dhanorkar quit Shiv Sena last week and joined Congress. While Congress had earlier declared Vinayak Bangde as official candidate but bowing to pressure, party now nominated Dhanorkar, leaving Bangde in the lurch for now. Though Bangde had filed papers but there is still time to withdraw by official date. Dhanorkar was promised a ticket by MPCC chief Ashok Chavan.
